The Mie Prefectural Police now have a new supercar to patrol the roads around Japan's legendary Suzuka circuit. The 573-horsepower Honda NSX, unlike the traditional Toyota sedans, is dressed in the police's black and white livery.
The vehicle is visually striking with "Police" lettering on both sides of the car and red lights on the roof. The car was officially handed over to the force at a ceremony at the Suzuka circuit on Monday, accompanied by a musical performance.
The NSX was not purchased or seized by the police, but was donated by Toshiya Kobayashi, a 43-year-old real estate tycoon and racing enthusiast. According to the Japanese publication Chunichi, Kobayashi, who attended the event, enthusiastically declared “That’s cool!” after performing a demonstration run at 62 mph. “Maybe the police are a little careless about speed,” he joked, according to the report.
The car, which costs 25 million yen (about $175,000), comes with all the necessary modifications for patrol. The Drive reports that the NSX will appear in a parade ahead of the SuperGT race in August. Those who want to see this state-of-the-art police car in person at the Suzuka circuit can book tickets now.
This is not the first time that the Japanese police force has used sports cars. Vehicles such as Nissan GT-Rs, Skylines, 350Zs, and RX-7s have been seen in similar black and white livery before. However, vehicles such as Land Cruisers that are ready for patrol are also in the police’s collection. This diverse range of vehicles reflects the modern and powerful presence of Japan’s police force.
Meanwhile, those who want to see real supercar police vehicles can travel to Dubai. Dubai Police maintains a fleet of luxury sports cars such as the Bugatti Veyron, Porsche 918 Spyder and Lamborghini Aventador. However, this new look of the Honda NSX at Japan’s Suzuka circuit is a great example of how the police force is increasing its appeal with the support of the local community.